Family & Relationships

Winner of the 2024 Eileen Basker Memorial Prize from the Society for Medical Anthropology

How embryo adoption advances the Christian Right’s political goals for creating a Christian nation

In 1997, a group of white pro-life evangelical Christians in the United States created the nation’s first embryo adoption program to “save” the thousands of frozen human embryos remaining from assisted reproduction procedures, which they contend are unborn children. While a small part of US fertility services, embryo adoption has played an outsized role in conservative politics, from high-profile battles over public investment in human embryonic stem cell research to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Based on six years of ethnographic research with embryo adoption staff and participants, Risa Cromer uncovers how embryo adoption advances ambitious political goals for expanding the influence of conservative Christian values and power.

Conceiving Christian America is the first book on embryo adoption tracing how this powerful social movement draws on white saviorist tropes in their aims to reconceive personhood, with drastic consequences for reproductive rights and justice. Documenting the practices, narratives, and beliefs that move embryos from freezers to uteruses, this book wields anthropological wariness as a tool for confronting the multiple tactics of the Christian Right. Timely and provocative, Conceiving Christian America presents a bold and nuanced examination of a family-making process focused on conceiving a Christian nation.

Praising God in the storm?

Faced with carrying a child who was ‘not compatible with life’, that was just one of the many challenges Cami faced as she walked her precious child home to Heaven. In Walking Her Home, readers will hear first-hand about the pregnancy, life, and death of her daughter as well as how God sustained their marriage and family when it was challenged.

A compelling examination of the social and legal experiences of lesbian, bisexual, and queer stepparent families

Lesbian, bisexual, and queer families formed after the dissolution of a marriage face a range of obstacles. In Queer Stepfamilies, Katie L. Acosta offers a wealth of insight into their complex experiences as they negotiate parenting among multiple parents and family-building in a world not designed to meet their needs. Drawing on in-depth interviews, Acosta follows the journeys of more than forty families as they navigate a legal and social landscape that fails to recognize their existence.

Acosta contextualizes the legal realities of LGBTQ stepparent families and considers the actions these parents take to protect their families in the absence of comprehensive policies or laws geared to meet their needs. Queer Stepfamilies reveals the obstacles these families face in family courts during divorce proceedings and custody cases, and highlights their distrust of courts when it comes to acting in their children’s best interests, especially in the event of an origin parent’s death.

As LGBTQ families continue to make social and legal strides in acceptance and recognition, this important book shows how queer stepparents find ways to make their unconventional families work, despite the many social and legal obstacles they encounter. Acosta provides a fresh perspective, broadening our understanding about families in the twenty-first century.

A gritty, down-to-earth guide for real-life couples 

Conflict is a natural part of any intimate relationship. Yet most couples either avoid it or try to smooth over their differences. This often results in at least one partner compromising their integrity—and stunting their own growth.

Monsters in Love challenges the idea that conflict between partners is unhealthy or something to avoid. Instead, it encourages both people to stand by what they need and who they are—but to do so with compassion rather than competitiveness or vengefulness. 

This book is about the reality of committed, intimate relationships, which are designed to inspire both people to grow up. It challenges some common misperceptions about what makes for a successful partnership. It also rocks the boat of psychotherapy, calling out therapists who don't bring their best to their clients. 

Instead of comforting fantasies or false promises, Monsters in Love offers you and your partner a chance to make your relationship—and your lives—much bigger and more emergent. 

An essential guide for navigating the challenges of fatherhood while building a foundation of faith, love, and values in your children.

Becoming a father is one of life's most profound joys and solemn duties. The path ahead will be filled with questions and self-doubt—am I ready for this? How do I nurture faith and values? Can I still pursue my dreams? What if I mess up? In The Spirit of Fatherhood, Larry Hagner provides fellow dads the wisdom and tools to navigate one of life's most epic and awe-inspiring adventures.

With insight forged from biblical study and over a decade of counseling experience, Hagner addresses nearly every aspect of engaged fatherhood. Discover guidance on building a warm, Godly home where children feel safe to grow. Learn how to correct with patience and grace. Find tips on instilling values that will serve your children for life. Hagner knows the struggles inherent to parenting and meets them with empathy, encouragement and practical solutions. While portraying this sacred calling, the founder of "The Dad Edge," the #1 podcast about fatherhood on Apple Podcasts, makes his lessons relatable through vulnerable stories, humorous anecdotes, and refreshing honesty. You'll come away feeling empowered, equipped and deeply connected.

Whether you're counting down to your first child or already have a full house, this book offers inspiration to deepen your faith and leadership. It's the perfect gift for dads aiming to ground their families in timeless wisdom and everlasting love.

Honorable Mention, 2020 Stirling Prize for Best Published Work in Psychological Anthropology, given by the Society for Psychological Anthropology

Honorable Mention, New Millennium Book Award, given by the Society for Medical Anthropology

How youth on the autism spectrum negotiate the contested meanings of neurodiversity

Autism is a deeply contested condition. To some, it is a devastating invader, harming children and isolating them. To others, it is an asset and a distinctive aspect of an individual’s identity. How do young people on the spectrum make sense of this conflict, in the context of their own developing identity?

While most of the research on Asperger’s and related autism conditions has been conducted with individuals or in settings in which people on the spectrum are in the minority, this book draws on two years of ethnographic work in communities that bring people with Asperger’s and related conditions together. It can thus begin to explore a form of autistic culture, through attending to how those on the spectrum make sense of their conditions through shared social practices.

Elizabeth Fein brings her many years of experience in both clinical psychology and psychological anthropology to analyze the connection between neuropsychological difference and culture. She argues that current medical models, which espouse a limited definition, are ill equipped to deal with the challenges of discussing autism-related conditions. Consequently, youths on the autism spectrum reach beyond medicine for their stories of difference and disorder, drawing instead on shared mythologies from popular culture and speculative fiction to conceptualize their experience of changing personhood.

In moving and persuasive prose, Living on the Spectrum illustrates that young people use these stories to pioneer more inclusive understandings of what makes us who we are.

Answers the question: Why are women freezing their eggs?

Why are women freezing their eggs in record numbers? Motherhood on Ice explores this question by drawing on the stories of more than 150 women who pursued fertility preservation technology. Moving between narratives of pain and empowerment, these nuanced personal stories reveal the complexity of women’s lives as they struggle to preserve and extend their fertility.

Contrary to popular belief, egg freezing is rarely about women postponing fertility for the sake of their careers. Rather, the most-educated women are increasingly forced to delay childbearing because they face a mating gap—a lack of eligible, educated, equal partners ready for marriage and parenthood. For these women, egg freezing is a reproductive backstop, a technological attempt to bridge the gap while waiting for the right partner. But it is not an easy choice for most. Their stories reveal the extent to which it is logistically complicated, physically taxing, financially demanding, emotionally draining, and uncertain in its effects.

In this powerful book, women share their reflections on their clinical encounters, as well as the immense hopes and investments they place in this high-tech fertility preservation strategy. Race, religion, and the role of men in the lives of single women pursuing this technology are also explored. A distinctly human portrait of an understudied and rapidly growing population, Motherhood on Ice examines what is at stake for women who take comfort in their frozen eggs while embarking on their quests for partnership, pregnancy, and parenting.

Don’t Pull Your Sister’s Hair is the story of Sam Flood Jr.—the boy who didn’t speak until he was five has become a man who wants to tell stories for a living.

Sam Flood was born on January 1, 1994, two weeks late. Walking and running at ten months, he didn’t speak until age five. “From the outset, Sam seemed to have his own idea for how life should be,” writes his father in the opening chapter, in which Sam pieces together his memories with stories told by his family to describe what it was like for Sam to express himself, from pulling his sister Eliza’s hair to wandering to Häagen-Dazs at age three.

Sam’s inability to speak concerned his parents, who consulted doctors to figure out what was wrong. One specialist said Sam would never graduate from high school, let alone go to college. Turning to writing, reading, and his own sense of humor to cope with constant bullying for his differences, Sam proved them wrong, earning a BA from Mitchell College in Connecticut.

Any family can find hope in Sam’s story. Anyone who feels different, misunderstood, bullied, or unfairly treated in life can find light in the way Sam charted his course. This is a story of neurodiversity, but it’s not just for people dealing with ADHD, autism, or any other diagnostic label, because everyone has unique ways of thinking, processing, and behaving. 

Don’t Pull Your Sister’s Hair is about the moments where neurodiversity creates opportunity. It’s the story of what’s possible.

Avoid Popping Under Pressure

Pressure management is the key to effective leadership, conflict resolution, and staying composed when life feels like it’s stretching you to the limit. In How to Untie a Balloon, former hostage negotiator and founder of Conflictish® Ryan Dunlap provides practical strategies for managing stress, mastering conflict management, and building emotional resilience.

Dunlap reveals the profound effects of pressure on our decision-making, relationships, and emotional well-being. Through the vivid metaphor of a balloon, he illustrates how unmanaged stress and unresolved conflict can lead to self-sabotage. By introducing the F.I.R.S.T. Steps framework—Feelings, Interests, Relationships, Situation, and Toll—Dunlap delivers a proven system for mastering negotiation, enhancing communication skills, and achieving breakthrough results in both personal and professional arenas.

Experience immediate and lasting benefits, including the ability to remain composed during difficult conversations, strengthen relationship communication, and approach every negotiation with clarity and confidence. Whether you are navigating business deals, couples communication, or leadership challenges, these strategies empower you to transform pressure into opportunity.

Through each step of the F.I.R.S.T. Steps framework, you’ll learn how to:

• Recognize and regulate your emotions to maintain respect, influence, and composure in negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Distinguish between surface frustrations and underlying priorities, sharpening your conversation skills for meaningful dialogue.
• Foster relationship communication and prevent conflicts from escalating, whether in couples communication or organizational settings.
• Approach high-pressure scenarios with assurance, mastering difficult conversations and leadership communication.
• Deconstruct complex conflicts into manageable elements for strategic negotiation and problem-solving.
• Integrate real-world tactics from a seasoned negotiator to build emotional intelligence and resilience in response to human emotions.

With its blend of compelling real-life stories, expert frameworks, and actionable advice, How to Untie a Balloon is the definitive resource for anyone committed to personal growth, effective negotiation, and lasting conflict resolution.

If you have valued works such as The Anatomy of Peace, Getting to Yes, or The Next Conversation, this book will be an indispensable addition to your collection.

For the past half century, Maurice Blanchot has been an extraordinarily influential figure on the French literary and cultural scene. He is arguably the key figure after Sartre in exploring the relation between literature and philosophy.

This collection of 29 critical essays and reviews on art, politics, literature, and philosophy documents the wide range of Blanchot's interests, from the enigmatic paintings in the Lascaux caves to the atomic era. Essays are devoted to works of fiction (Louis-René des Forêts, Pierre Klossowski, Roger Laporte, Marguerite Duras), to autobiographies or testimonies (Michel Leiris, Robert Antelme, André Gorz, Franz Kafka), or to authors who are more than ever contemporary (Jean Paulhan, Albert Camus).

Several essays focus on questions of Judaism, as expressed in the works of Edmond Jabès, Emmanuel Levinas, and Martin Buber. Among the other topics covered are André Malraux's "imaginary museum," the Pléiade Encyclopedia project of Raymond Queneau, paperback publishing, the work of Claude Lévi-Strauss, Benjamin's "Task of the Translator," Marx and communism, writings on the Holocaust, and the difference between art and writing. The book concludes with an eloquent invocation to friendship on the occasion of the death of Georges Bataille.

A personal, intimate account of the extraordinary ways that today’s families are being created.

From adoption and assisted reproduction, to gay and straight parents, coupled and single, and multi-parent families, the stories in Modern Families explain how individuals make unconventional families by accessing a broad range of technological, medical and legal choices that expand our definitions of parenting and kinship. Joshua Gamson introduces us to a child with two mothers, made with one mother’s egg and the sperm of a man none of them has ever met; another born in Ethiopia, delivered by his natural grandmother to an orphanage after both his parents died in close succession, and then to the arms of his mother, who is raising him solo.

These tales are deeply personal and political. The process of forming these families involved jumping tremendous hurdles—social conventions, legal and medical institutions—with heightened intention and inventiveness, within and across multiple inequities and privileges. Yet each of these families, however they came to be, shares the same universal joys that all families share.

A companion for all those who choose to navigate the world of modern kinship, Modern Families provides a “fascinating look at the remarkable range of experiences that is broadening the very idea of family” (Booklist).

Transgender survivors of violence tell their stories

Transgender people face some of the highest rates of violence in the US and around the world, particularly within romantic relationships. In Transgressed, Xavier L. Guadalupe-Diaz offers a ground-breaking examination of intimate partner violence in the lives of transgender people.

Drawing on interviews and written accounts from transgender survivors of intimate partner violence, he sheds much-needed light on the dynamics of abuse that entrap trans partners in violent relationships. Transgressed shows how rigidly gendered discussions of violence have served to marginalize and silence stories of abuse. Ultimately, these stories of survival follow their unique journeys as they navigate—and break free—from the cycle of abuse, providing us with a better understanding of their experiences.

An emotionally compelling read, Transgressed offers new ways of understanding the complexities of intimate partner violence through the eyes of transgender survivors.

**Business Book Awards 2025 Finalist**

'This is the book I really needed when I first became a working parent!' - Kathryn Bishop, CBE

Welcome to the world of working parenthood...

• Wondering how you’ll still do your job as well as being a parent?
• Want to have a conversation about changing your working pattern but not sure how to approach it?
• Don’t really know where to start with creating a return-to-work plan?

This how-to guide is designed to help you every step of the way on your journey to becoming a working parent – from before you head off on parental leave to while you’re away and on your return. Catherine Oliver has not only been there and done that but has supported many thousands who have chosen to take on the dual roles of parent and employee.

It will also be invaluable if your partner is taking a longer period of parental leave, or if you’re a manager worried about doing or saying the wrong thing. In the past this support has only been available to employees of big corporates: now you’re holding it in your hands.

Catherine Oliver is a Diversity and Inclusion Advisor who specializes in helping organizations from start-ups to the largest listed companies support working parents and their managers. She became a parent herself during her 20-year corporate career and founded Sky’s parenting network.

'An excellent practical guide to working through the many challenges of becoming a working parent.' Colin Jones, ex-COO, Sky

'As a first-time expectant parent this book was a game-changer.' Emma McKinley, Mum-to-be & Finance Director, Haleon PLC

Raise calmer, happier, healthier children with these fun, hands-on nature activities for parents and kids to enjoy together.

Gold Winner, Nonfiction Authors Association Book Awards

Are your kids stressed? Are they feeling a bit down? Do your children—and you—need a break from screens? Nature can help. What we all suspected intuitively for generations, science has now confirmed: spending time connecting to nature is a safe, effective tool to help improve our health and happiness.

In Finding Ecohappiness, author Sandi Schwartz guides families in building regular habits of experiencing nature to reduce stress and boost mood. She explores key positive psychology tools from a nature-loving perspective. You will learn simple, practical tips for incorporating these tools—awe and gratitude, mindfulness, creative arts, outdoor play and adventure, volunteering, food, and animals—into your daily routine to help your children thrive and live a happy, balanced life.

Finding Ecohappiness will introduce you to all kinds of engaging nature activities you can do with your kids, from hiking and bike rides to visiting nature centers and science museums to volunteering outdoors to embarking on ecotourism adventures. In addition, you will discover unique nature relaxation activities like cow cuddling, animal yoga, forest bathing, float therapy, and earthing. Nature isn’t just for kids, either—doing these activities with your children will tremendously improve your own well-being, too.

A must-read for all families, Finding Ecohappiness will help you protect your children from feeling stressed and overwhelmed; manage your children’s current issues regarding stress, anxiety, and mood; and improve family togetherness.

Let’s face it—modern life is stressful. With constant demands on your time and attention, it’s not surprising that you’ve neglected what used to be your North Star: your relationship. You might feel disconnected from each other and stuck in a cycle of go-nowhere arguments. Perhaps you miss the spark that made you excited to see one another at the end of the day. You might long for the time when the two of you were in sync on most things and could laugh at misunderstandings and miscommunications.

Fire It Up is the solution to relationships that are struggling, feeling stale, or just in need of a little extra care. Experienced couples therapist Carolyn Sharp outlines a clear four-step process to bring back the love, connection, and vitality to any marriage, with humor and authenticity. She’ll help you understand how relationships work—and why your partner does that annoying thing. Get to the heart of the problem and empower yourself with the knowledge to make lasting change in your relationship.

A guided questionnaire to help understand ourselves and our romantic relationships more clearly.

Most questionnaires are happy to be a bit of fun; this one sets out to be both entertaining and, more importantly, useful – offering us nothing less than a guide to the comforting and supportive relationships we long for.

With online apps taking over the dating game, it has never been more crucial to know the rules.

Through a series of pertinent questions, it reveals our distinctive style of loving, what our strengths and weaknesses are with partners and how we might secure genuine fulfillment going forward.

As we work through the questionnaire and its accompanying essays, writing the answers in a notebook, we discover the many reasons why relationships go wrong – and how they might do so far less often in the future. The book considers the role of self-hatred, the influence of childhood, the importance of vulnerability, the appeal of unavailable people and the best way to overcome patterns of self-doubt and unhealthy attachment.

Our minds are such confusing places, even the most thoughtful among us can fail to know central things about how we behave in relationships. This questionnaire will help us to understand ourselves more clearly – and so set us free to discover the love we deserve.

52 Parenting Principles outlines simple strategies to help parents prepare their kids with important life skills for when they leave home. The 52 principles are bite-sized nuggets that parents can learn, understand, and apply weekly or as they choose. With enough theory for context, it emphasizes applications parents can make immediately. Most of the principles can be adopted to fit children of all ages. By reading 52 Parenting Principles, parents feel empowered to make changes they can master and witness relational transformation. Each principle is followed by discussion questions and action steps to help parents understand and integrate what they have learned.

"Linda-Marie Barrett offers a generous, intelligent, and deeply loving guide to building spaces where real people can gather for real conversation about real topics. Drawing upon her experience as a bookseller and her own story of how bringing women together into literary salons elevated her own life from anxiety and disconnection to vibrancy and joy, Barrett has written more than a simple how-to book here; she has delivered a call to reclaim the joy of presence, dialogue, and the transformative power of story." —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

A practical and personal exploration of the transformative power of salons–in many cases, a next-level evolution of a book club—with hosting advice tailored for different goals, budgets, and personalities. 

Salons are enjoying a renaissance worldwide. More structured than a hangout or casual dinner party, and oftentimes an evolution of a successful book club, salons can spark lively discussions and help develop a joyful, intentional community. Blending focused and informed advice with heartfelt reflection, book industry professional Linda-Marie Barrett shares her experience hosting salons at her home—the lessons learned as well as the life-changing connections she discovered—and guides readers through the whats, whys, and hows of creating their own salons.
Learn how to cultivate deep conversations and authentic connection using Barrett’s clear guidelines and real-life examples, including helpful suggestions for handling even challenging scenarios. Readers will also hear directly from members of Linda-Marie’s Black Swan Salon, who share their perspectives along with advice for how to build a better salon. As a bonus, this book includes 14 salon starter kits, each on a different theme, to help readers host with confidence.

Hay relaciones afectivas y personas que nos marcan con fuego, como si se enquistaran en nuestro ADN y en la esencia que nos define. Perderlas genera un vacío angustiante y devastador. ¿Cómo superar la ausencia de quien fue vital para nuestra vida amorosa?

In Changing Course—now fully revised and updated—Claudia Black extends a helping hand to anyone overcoming the complex trauma of growing up in an impaired family system.

Don't talk. Don't trust. Don't feel.

Being raised in a dysfunctional family system, whether unpredictable and chaotic or overly rigid and joyless, can set the course for chronic emotional pain in adulthood. Changing Course is a gentle, affirming guide to healing from childhood experiences of loss, abandonment, fear, and shame.

Through carefully crafted questions, charts, exercises, and real-life stories of people impacted by various types of family impairment, Dr. Black skillfully presents an interactive process of healing from childhood wounds. You will learn four essential steps you can use to let go of old hurtful beliefs and behaviors and develop new skills for both redefining self and negotiating relationships.

Vives en un mundo que no fue diseñado para ti. Un mundo donde se espera que te quedes quieto, en silencio y concentrado. Debido a la forma en que tu cerebro está configurado, a veces puedes sentir que estás fracasando en la vida. Pero no estás fracasando. Eres increíble.

Los autores de este libro, Kim y Penn Holderness, tienen una misión: cambiar la forma en que pensamos sobre el desafortunadamente llamado «trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad». Y lo hacen mirándose al espejo, porque no solo han estudiado el TDAH, sino que lo viven: Penn fue diagnosticado con TDAH en la universidad.

A través de sus divertidas anécdotas y el conocimiento de médicos, investigadores y especialistas, Kim y Penn ofrecen consejos y explicaciones fáciles de entender, incluyendo:

• Cómo es realmente vivir con un cerebro con TDAH.
• Cómo enfrentar los desafíos del TDAH con una actitud positiva.
• Técnicas y herramientas específicas para potenciar tus fortalezas únicas.
• Extras divertidos como un bingo del TDAH, un homenaje a los shorts con bolsas y una visión de cómo sería el mundo si las personas con TDAH estuvieran al mando.

Confía en Penn: tener TDAH puede dar miedo, pero también trae consigo grandes ventajas, como creatividad, hiperconcentración y energía. Incluso podrías decir que es algo bastante genial.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

You live in a world that wasn’t designed for you. A world where you’re expected to sit still, stay quiet, and focus. Because of the way your brain is wired, you may sometimes feel like you’re failing at life. But you are not failing. You are awesome.

The authors of this book, Kim and Penn Holderness, have a mission: to change the way we think about the unfortunately named “attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.” And they do it by looking in the mirror, because they haven’t just studied ADHD—they live it: Penn was diagnosed with ADHD in college.

Through their funny anecdotes and the insights of doctors, researchers, and specialists, Kim and Penn provide easy-to-understand advice and explanations, including:

• What it’s really like to live with an ADHD brain.
• How to face ADHD challenges with a positive attitude.
• Specific techniques and tools to harness your unique strengths.
• Fun extras like ADHD bingo, a tribute to shorts with pockets, and a vision of what the world would look like if people with ADHD were in charge.

Trust Penn: having ADHD can be scary, but it also comes with great advantages, like creativity, hyperfocus, and energy. You could even say it’s pretty awesome.

The rate of interracial marriage in the United States has steadily increased: One in six new marriages now crosses racial or ethnic lines. Yet these partnerships are not always embraced or even accepted by families, friends, and society. Within families, issues ranging from food and holiday traditions to parenting approaches and beliefs about gender roles sometimes must be negotiated between cultures. In a time of national division, questions of race and identity have become deeply fraught. The way these couples navigate differences is a model for how Americans, despite their differences, can come together.

This book—based on interviews with and surveys of hundreds of people and informed by the authors’ many decades of experience as therapists and researchers—explores how intermarried couples build lives together. People of varied backgrounds describe how they navigate a world where others wonder about their relationship, question the parentage of their children, and treat them differently from their partner based on their appearance. Spouses relate their experiences forming fulfilling relationships in the face of potential disapproval, and they speak candidly about the joys and challenges of raising mixed-race children. Many of these couples have strengthened their relationships by learning to communicate across cultural barriers, and they share strategies for overcoming misunderstandings. At once large-scale and intimate, this book offers practical advice and timely insight into the triumphs and struggles of love across lines of difference.

When young people have questions about a brother or sister with autism or Asperger's Syndrome, clear answers can be hard to find. Written by Eve Band , Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, this book gives voice to ten-year-old Emily's story: her questions about her brother, her search for answers about autism, and her exploration of her feelings as a sibling of a young man with autism. Told in her voice, Emily's story is as uplifting as it is filled with valuable information for parents and siblings, or any individual whose life is touched by a person with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

Helpful chapters include:

• language & communication
• the GFCF diet, special education law
• parenting issues
• teaching strategies
• and adult issues.

• Tony & Temple: Face to Face By Tony Attwood, Ph.D.
• Developing Proactive Strategies for Managing Problem Behaviors By Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D.
• Connecting with your Child through DIR By Lori Jeanne Peloquin, Ph.D.
• BIG FUN: Using Gymnastics to Improve Physical & Social Skills in Children with Autism By Gene Hurwin
• What Does it Take to do Inclusion of Children with Autism Well? Parts I & II By Shirley Cohen, Ph.D.
• Social Skills on the IEP By Catherine Faherty
• Extraordinary Parenting: The Power of Thoughts and Feelings in Reaching Children with Autism By Steven Wertz
• I’m Special: A Method to Introduce Children, Adolescents and Young Adults to their Autism Spectrum Disorder By Peter Vermeulen
  
   

Since the early ‘90s, Carol Gray’s world-famous Social Stories™ have helped thousands of children with autism spectrum disorders. This 15th Anniversary Edition of her best-selling book offers ready-to-use stories that parents and educators have depended on for years—with new sections added! Additions include how to most effectively use and apply the stories, how to improve the lives of younger children, and Social Stories™ for teens and adults with autism. Developed through years of experience, these strategically written stories explain social situations in ways children and adults with autism understand while teaching social skills needed to be successful at home, school, work, and in the community.

A Social Story™ accurately describes a context, skill, achievement, or concept according to 10 defining criteria. These criteria guide Story research, development, and implementation to ensure an overall patient and supportive quality, and a format, “voice”, content, and learning experience that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the child, adolescent, or adult with autism. The criteria define what a Social Story™ is, and the process that researches, writes, and illustrates it.

Social Stories™ may be described as an effective and meaningful approach to support social understanding, but the ultimate and deeper goal is to empower children and older people by enhancing their understanding of social situations and social encounters in their lives, and thereby supporting their ability to be active participants in life’s routines and activities. The effective use of Social Stories™ goes even further—it allows practitioners and parents to build trusting relationships through their support. Ultimately, the overarching goal of Social Stories™ is this: to help people to be self-determined, confident and competent individuals.

Parents of children with autism or other special needs frequently struggle with toilet training their child. Toileting a child with special needs is more difficult because there are often additional challenges such as communication difficulties, sensory issues, behavioral concerns, resistance to change, inability to generalize a newly learned skill, and the need for routine.

Using traditional toilet training books and methods are not always helpful because the autism population does not think the same way a neurotypical child does. The child with autism may not care about pleasing parents or receiving verbal praise. Because there may be significant developmental delays, the toileting process may not be started until after the age of four. Using a diaper to eliminate has been the routine for several years and this can be hard to change. Children’s books to introducing toilet training may not be appropriate because the child is too big for a potty chair or using the potty chair then transitioning to the toilet becomes yet another change and obstacle in this process.

All of these concerns may feel insurmountable and overwhelming when making the decision to begin toilet training. Judith Coucouvanis has come to the rescue with her new book The Potty Journey: Guide to Toilet Training Children with Special Needs, Including Autism and Related Disorders that empowers parents and professionals with practical information to make this journey a success. I would recommend reading the book in its entirety first before starting toileting because Ms. Coucouvanis equips the reader with a plan and presents the overall picture for this process. She uses the concept of a journey/trip and all the things one would need to do to make the trip a successful one. It is these planning tips and manageable steps that make toileting “do-able”.

One of the biggest quandaries parents face is not knowing when to start toileting. Judy outlines considerations when to begin toileting in the second chapter. She discusses mental age which is not the same as chronological age, the ability to remain dry for 1 – 2 hours at a time, and being over the age of four when bodily functions are more mature. It is also important that you as the parent are emotionally ready for this commitment which takes several weeks, and that there are no additional life stressors such as a move, divorce, job change, or major illness.

One key to successful toileting is using a team approach. Everyone who spends time with that child should be involved in the toileting process. Children with autism don’t generalize from one situation to the next so for success to occur there has to be a consistent toileting routine and approach throughout the child’s day which may unfold in several places.

The author introduces the Daily Progress Record (DPR) in chapter 3 which is the foundation of the toileting process. She provides lots of examples and a template in the appendix. She teaches how to practice toileting, use rewards, and supports the child’s learning with visual examples. She dedicates two chapters to troubleshooting problems. The book is peppered with thoughts from parents and professionals who have gone through this journey. Their comments offer positive support and encouragement. The final chapter is dedicated for stories from those who have completed the toileting journey.

Ms.Coucouvanis also writes about creating independence with toileting – how to fade prompts and your presence in the bathroom. She also discusses bathroom use in other locations such as the school and public restrooms. The hidden curriculum rules for boys and girls public bathroom use are outlined. Most mothers are not aware of how different a men’s public bathroom is from a women’s.

There is a helpful appendix at the end which includes charts for determining toileting readiness, the Daily Progress Record, records for your team members (known as the travel crew), a checklist to prepare for this journey, suggested rewards, Sitting Practice Record, and a visual breakdown of the toileting steps.

The Potty Journey takes parents and professionals through the toileting journey which is a challenge but well worth the effort. Toileting with independence and confidence is a life-long skill; without this skill, a person’s choices are limited and they are dependent on someone else for one of their most basic needs.

In Autism Is the Future, Marlo Payne Thurman reveals how cognitive differences are the constructing pieces in understanding those with autism. Through her findings, she shows how those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) constantly challenge assumptions about intelligence and measuring intelligence.

Thurman proposes that sensory and cognitive development have evolved together into a very different form of intelligence in those with ASD, and it should be viewed not as a disability but instead as a difference to be celebrated and followed.

Thurman began working with children diagnosed with ASD in 1986. With group home management and intensive ABA therapy in her early career, she developed a special interest in meeting the unique needs of those individuals who were asynchronously developed into the realms of the "ASD savant." Most recently, she completed a landmark study proposing an alternative sensory-cognitive difference theory based on her extensive discussions and interactions with diagnosed adults. This research was the foundation for this book.

A child’s sensory system affects their ability to learn, play, socialize and function. Maybe a child isn’t able to sit still in class because his shirt tag is bothering him, or isn’t able to play with other children because his balance is off. Maybe your child isn’t just a picky eater, it could be that his sensory system needs some special guidance and adjusting.

Britt Collins, MS,OTR/L and Jackie Linder-Olson, an occupational therapist and parent team, have organized and combined parenting information along with sensory integration methods, tips, and solutions. We’ve made it easy and fun and will help you avoid a lot of unnecessary battles between you and your child. It’s amazing how quickly our children adapt and the little adjustments that can make our days smoother. Beginning with your baby’s birth, Britt and Jackie walk parents through everyday situations and duties all the way through your child’s early stages of development through the first five years. They explain the underlying reasons beneath your child’s negative behaviors and the often simple fixes.

"Anyone browsing autism books might question that two authors could amass this many ideas and that all of them would be ‘great,’ but this book delivers.” — from the Foreword by Dr. Temple Grandin

Over 1800 try-it-now tips, eye-opening perspectives, and time-saving strategies abound in this revised edition of the 2004 multi-award-winning  book that has been read and reread again and again by hundreds of thousands of people in fourteen languages around the world. Readers can easily find explanations and solutions that speak to the diverse spectrum of developmental levels, learning styles, and abilities inherent in autistic children, at home, at school, and in the community.

Ideas are offered in six domains: Sensory Integration, Communication and Language, Behavior, Daily Living, Thinking Social, Being Social, and Teachers and Learners. The Table of Contents details more than 330 subjects, making it easy to quickly pinpoint needed information.

• Accessible ideas that don’t require expensive devices or hours of time to implement.
• Relatable ideas and solutions to situations that most parents, educators, and/or family members will recognize.
• Functional ideas that help prepare the autistic child for a meaningful adulthood.

Awards for 1001 Great Ideas:

• Winner of the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Legacy Nonfiction
• Winner of the American Legacy Book Award for Education/Academic
• Winner of the American Legacy Book Award for Parenting and Relationships
• Silver medal, Independent Publishers Book Awards
• Gold award, Mom’s Choice Awards
• Finalist, American Legacy Book Awards, Cross-genre Nonfiction
• Teachers Choice Award, Learning magazine

Autism is old and unruly. It’s been a part of us since we first left handprints on cave walls 40,000 year­­s ago. AUTISM AND US covers a long-stretch view of its neurological history and how society has judged it.

With quotes from old medical records, folk-tale beliefs, and Victorian literature, the book conjures up the 19^th century­ mix of ignorance, cruelty, fumbling knowledge, and surprising love that led to the first medical recognition of autism as a social disorder. From that medically significant recognition has grown our present day neurological and cognitive understanding. 

Eustacia Cutler, autism expert and mother of Temple Grandin, delivers a colorful and reliable account of the pioneers it has taken for autism to gain understanding and acceptance in families, neighborhoods, schools and job markets.

NAPPA Award Winner! Mom's Choice Award Winner!

Many parents are not sure of what to say and do to help their children improve their social interactions.

This book helps open the door of communication between parent and child by addressing 100 social rules for home, school, and the community. Using simple, easy-to-follow rules covering topics such as body language, manners, feelings, and more, this book aims to make students' lives easier and more successful by outlining specific ways to interact with others on a daily basis. Foreword by Ann Gordon, PhD, BCET.

Winner of the IPBA Gold Medal for Nonfiction Series (with Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew) and Winner of the Grand Prize for Instruction and Insight and First Place in Psychology, Chanticleer International Book Awards.

One of the autism community’s most beloved classics, Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew has informed, delighted, and guided millions of families and professionals the world over since its first edition was published in 2005.

A child’s voice leads into each chapter, offering a one-of-a-kind exploration into how ten core characteristics of autism affect our children’s perceptions and reactions to the surrounding physical, sensory and social environments. This revised and updated third edition sharpens the focus on these basic aspects while expanding on how our own perspectives shape the life of our child and ourselves, today, tomorrow, and for years to come. An all-new section illuminates the surprising breadth of our power of choice and outlines potent strategies for strong decision-making in every situation.

Every parent, teacher, social worker, therapist, and physician should have this succinct and informative book in their back pocket. Framed with both humor and compassion, the book lists the top ten characteristics that help illuminate—not define—children with autism. Ellen's personal experiences as a parent, an autism columnist, and a contributor to numerous parenting magazines coalesce to create this guide for anyone with someone on the autism spectrum in their life. (There is also an edition of this book available in Spanish)

Other awards include:

• Grand Prize Short List, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
• First place in Psychology, Chanticleer International Instruction and Insight Awards
• First Runner-up – Health, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
• Montaigne Medal finalist, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
• American Book Fest Best Book Awards finalist
• National Indie Excellence Book Awards finalist
• Da Vinci Eye Award finalist, Eric Hoffer Book Awards
• Wishing Shelf Book Awards (UK) finalist

Once a diagnosis of autism is made, a myriad of questions arises. Why is this happening? What can I do? How will I cope? What will the future bring? Will I ever smile again?

A roadmap is needed, a handbook to refer to when all seems overwhelming. The priorities are to begin the healing process and to start treatment. The way to ensure success is to begin with the end goals in mind. It is remarkable how things fall into place once a vision of the future is formulated – a productive, upstanding, and most important, happy adult!

The Autism Parent Handbook walks parents through the steps of early intervention by demonstrating ways to achieve the most optimal outcomes. We address the following:

Wherever a parent is on their parenting journey, and whatever age the child is, now is the time to look forward and plant seeds for the future, beginning with the end in mind. Our shared goal is to honor the glory that is in all of us, and to enhance each child’s journey towards their fullest potential. If you are now confused and overwhelmed, you need a compassionate and optimistic guide for the early years and beyond. Where to start? Right here.

In Working While Autistic, Wendela Whitcomb Marsh delves into the challenges and triumphs autistic individuals face in the workplace. From acing the initial interview to navigating workplace politics, this is the handbook you need to get your career in gear. Employment can be a major challenge for autistic adults, and many are unemployed or underemployed. They may be highly skilled, motivated, and eager to work, but finding and keeping a job seems out of reach. Why is it so difficult?

• How to find the right career path
• Six Characters in Search of Employment (fictional autistic folk who illustrate the strategies in each chapter)
  
• Goalsetting
• Honing your interview skills
• Messages from autistic mentors (actually autistic workers share their wisdom and lived experience)
  
• And much more!

Dr. Marsh is an award-winning author, sought-after speaker, and founder of Adult Autism Assessment Services, which specializes in late-diagnosed autistic adults, who often struggle to find recognition and acceptance for themselves without the need to mask.

Working while Autistic is also a valuable resource for employers.

Dr. Tony Attwood and Craig Evans are pleased to introduce "Ask Dr. Tony," their second book together. The book is a compilation of fifty episodes of the Autism Hangout question-and-answer program video series in which Dr. Tony Attwood directly addresses the most pressing questions of those touched by autism. It also includes bonus sections of questions and answers from specific groups such as parents, teachers, public servants, social workers, and more. This book is an invaluable resource to keep helpful information present and available to the public. Craig and Dr. Tony's mutual goal? Thriving with autism!

This inspiring and informative classic only gets better!

Temple’s primary mission is to help people with ASD and ADHD tap into their hidden abilities. Temple chose contributors from a wide variety of skill sets to show how this can be done. Each individual tells their own story, in their own words, about their lives. From relationships, bullying, making eye contact, honing social skills, and eventual careers, these stories have something everyone can learn from.

Different ... Not Less shows how, with work, each of the contributors:

If you’ve read the first edition, you’ve only gotten half the story. Temple Grandin and these amazing contributors proudly display their growth as they take us along on their journeys.

Helpful chapters include:

• What Does It Mean for You to Be Autistic?
• Our Brains
• Accepting Your Autism
• Being Different
• Time Alone and Time with Others
• Mistakes
•  Friends
• God in Your Life
• Seeing Autism as a Challenge

• To Tell or Not to Tell
• Taking the First Step
• Section 504 Regulations
• Basic Advocacy 101
• Developing the IEP: Goals and Objectives Specially Designed Instruction
• Supports for Personnel: Supports for Students
• Designing a Social Skills Program
• Teasing and Self Esteem
• What to Do with Problem Behaviors
• What to Do When the Team Can Not Agree

Dr. Temple Grandin discusses the real issues that parents, teachers, and kids face every day. Here is a concise handbook that illustrates what Temple has found to work in the field of education. Topics include:

• The importance of early intervention

• Teaching for different types of thinking

• Developing talent

• Motivating students

• Keeping high expectations

• And much more!

In these helpful pages, Dr. Grandin offers dos and don’ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her insider perspective and extensive research. Interestingly, she argues that education for kids on the autism spectrum must focus on their overlooked strengths to foster their unique contributions to the world.

As Publishers Weekly noted "For educators or parents of autistic children, this will be a valuable resource."

Learn how to stop a meltdown! This book offers tried-and-true solutions to minimize and circumvent the often frightening circumstances that surround the cycle of meltdowns, not only for the child with autism, but others in the environment as well.

A highly practical and user-friendly resource, Autism and Difficult Moments describes the three-stage cycle of a meltdown and identifies effective, evidence-based strategies to use at each stage. In addition, the book outlines how to prevent the occurrence of meltdowns through instruction, interpretation, and coaching. The author emphasizes the importance of utilizing systematic instruction and teachable moments before and after a meltdown. Dr. Myles also notes that meltdowns are not intentional.

Readers will appreciate the practical steps that are given to navigate meltdowns as successfully as possible.

Behavior Solutions for the Home is a tool for parents whose children’s behaviors are impeding their daily life. Once they see a particular behavior, parents can quickly look up an in-the-moment solution and read more about what could be causing that behavior—and more importantly, how to overcome it. This helpful book is intended to provide general, practical solutions for busy (and often overwhelmed) parents who can benefit from a handy reference guide to help them address common behaviors at home and in the community. This book is a must-have for every parent and caregiver working with a child on the autism spectrum!

Diagnosed with autism at age fifty, Anita Lesko always knew something was different—but never let that stop her. In her incredible story, she describes how she went from an uncoordinated “misfit” kid to the successful and thriving adult she is today!

Lesko shares ALL her secrets to success, including:

And most importantly, patience and perseverance.

Some of the highlights of Anita’s life story include:

Through the framework of her impressive life, Lesko proves that you can do anything you set your mind to—and teaches you how to do it yourself.

What Really Works for Children with Autism aims to be a guide for anyone who has a child with autism, as well as for educators and caregivers. Many difficulties for these children arise due to a lack of knowledge about exactly what autism is and what its consequences are. This book provides detailed information about these issues, including:

• What the 10 most important needs of autistic children are.
• Understanding their sometimes unexpected or difficult behavior.
• How to support them as a parent, teacher, caregiver, or therapist.

When you get to know the specific characteristics, abilities, challenges and needs of a child with autism better, you will see their behavior in a different light. Knowing how their brain works and what their real needs are will give you a deeper understanding of why things can be difficult for them and you. What Really Works for Children with Autism also helps you to develop strategies that will create positive moments at home or in the classroom, so that autistic children can develop meaningful relationships with the important people in their lives.

As mentioned, the authors note that autistic children have ten major needs:

1. Being understood
2. Clarity
3. Predictability
4. Autonomy
5. Connection
6. Good agreements and rules
7. Positive self-esteem
8. Contentment
9. Meaning
10. Encouragement

The author, Tosha Rollins, states, “As a mother of two young adults on the autism spectrum, I wish I had been better educated about autism. My children inspired my becoming a licensed professional counselor." She started the Autism in Action podcast and has created resources like Autismology for families like hers.

Temple Grandin's window into the subjective experience of autism is of value to all of us who hope to gain a deeper understanding of the human mind by exploring the ways in which it responds to the world's challenges. — The Washington Times.

In this updated and expanded sixth edition of The Way I See It, Dr. Temple Grandin gets to the REAL issues of autism—the ones parents, teachers, and autistic individuals face every day. Temple offers helpful do's and don’ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips all based on her insider perspective and scientific research.

Topics include:

• Alternative vs. conventional medicine
• How to avoid getting trapped by labels
• The importance of early educational intervention
• How to control video gaming and screen time
• Exploring careers and applying talents
• And much more!

Dr. Grandin has packed a wealth of knowledge into this book, which serves as an excellent reference resource for topics related to autism. This handy reference book contains much of the information from the three smaller books in the series, Autism and Education, Autism and Adolescence, and Autism, Sensory and Behavior, all in one accessible place.

Whether you’re searching for something specific or reading cover-to-cover, The Way I See It is required reading for everyone whose life is touched by autism. The sixth edition contains a new section on autism and sensory challenges, as well as updated research throughout.

The teenage years are a time when being social is the number one priority for kids. But for kids with Asperger's who have acute social challenges, these years can be the most difficult, confusing time in their lives.

Enter J. D. Kraus, a young man who has been there, done that! He offers practical advice to his peers so they can get the most out of middle school and high school, both academically and socially. From sensory sensitivity to awkwardness, dating to driving, he tackles it all! Parents and teachers will love seeing life through J. D.'s eyes, plus "Notes to Parents" sections offer great advice for caregivers and educators alike.

Inside you'll find chapters on:

And more!

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder (autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, or PDD-NOS), this book is for you.

In an informative style, weaved with personal stories from parents, the book covers various topics, including:

• Getting a diagnosis (including preparing for a diagnostic interview in a medical, psychiatric, or school setting, with descriptions of all diagnostic tests and checklists/questions used by professionals)
• Treatment options (such as medications/supplements, sensory integration, occupational/physical/speech therapy, behavior modification, floor time, and more
• Coping with diagnosis and treatment (including emotions and support systems, insurance, and educational plans).

Out-of-Sync Success Stories, part of the "Out-of-Sync" series, focuses on children, teens, and adults with Sensory Processing Differences (SPD) whose unique sensitivities have made the world they inhabit a better place.

In this book you will meet:

• Little Daniel, whose musicality was able to connect him to his class,
• Young adult Sadie with her empathy for animals, using her abilities to start a career caring for them,
• Wise David with his determination to make office buildings comfortable and safe,
• And many more…

Through real-life success stories, this book aims to inspire those with sensory differences, as well as their family, teachers and other professionals who support them.

The stories within these pages show that neurodiversity benefits us all.

Help Your Picky Eaters Expand Their Food Choices!

Broccoli Boot Camp presents clearly written, commonsense behavioral interventions to successfully expand diet variety and preferences for healthy foods. It begins with the simple premise that when children are encouraged to taste and consume tiny portions of new foods (using the authors’ system), they learn to accept and enjoy them as part of their regular diets.

Other topics include:

• Difficult behaviors encountered at mealtime
• Nutritional deficiencies seen in selective eaters
• Food allergies
• And much more!

The second edition of Broccoli Boot Camp contains updated and revised content that addresses selective eating patterns across a wider range of children, including those diagnosed with issues such as avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and pediatric feeding disorder.

There are two new chapters. Chapter 18 focuses specifically on fading or stopping a plan, and Chapter 21 is a guide for clinicians and professionals.

Using compelling, real-life case studies, Broccoli Boot Camp gives parents the tools they need to promote healthy eating for their child, as well as improving the family mealtime experience!

Autism has long been considered a boys' condition, but there is more to this story. The truth is, autism looks different in women and girls. They're much better at "pretending to be normal" by masking their autistic characteristics.

How can we look behind the mask to recognize autism, when it has been so well camouflaged? Recognizing Autism in Women and Girls: When It Has Been Hidden Well provides the perspective needed to see how autism manifests in gendered ways, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis.

In addition to describing each point in the diagnostic manual to include feminine presentations, Dr. Marsh has created “Seven Fictional Female Figures” who've been misdiagnosed because they also display symptoms of other similar conditions. She describes their behaviors, both obvious and hidden, from early childhood to adulthood, and demonstrates how these behaviors meet diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. The "Behind the Mask" section provides helpful questions to ask during the autism assessment process to allow the professional to recognize autism, even when it has been successfully masked. In addition, each chapter contains "In Her Own Words," written by autistic women who describe their personal journeys from masking to diagnosis, and what it means to them. Being recognized at last for who they truly are frees autistic women to stop hiding behind a mask and begin opening doors to success.

The key to helping your ASD child may be right in your pocket!

Help your child to learn new skills and overcome existing barriers quickly and independently, regardless of age or ability. Video modeling is an effective method of teaching that uses recorded videos and technology. With repetitive and consistent exposure to video models, success stories include:

• A child who would not brush his teeth
• A teenager being acclimated to a new work environment
• A four-year-old who has not developed proper play-skills
• A child who would not engage with her teachers in class

And so much more!

Learn how, using only your smartphone, to create educational and beneficial material to help learners with autism increase independence, facilitate learning, and improve quality of life.

Los temas útiles incluyen:

Winner of a 2008 Teachers’ Choice Award! Many children, especially those with developmental delays, have trouble understanding or expressing their feelings. This can result in difficulty with anger management. Listing possible responses to situations—and the likely outcome of each one—allows the child to make informed decisions about which responses to choose (e.g., walking away vs. hitting). This book provides a guide for caregivers along with a workbook portion that asks children to identify situations that trigger their anger, and helps them find appropriate ways to respond.

Helpful topics include:

Educate school age children and build their self-esteem so they can make informed choices! STARS 2 is an adapted version of the original STARS guidebook that is focused on school-aged children. The STARS 2 model concentrates on four areas: Understanding Relationships, Social Skills Training, Sexual Awareness, and Assertiveness with the goals of promoting positive sexuality and preventing sexual abuse. Assessment tools help identify the strengths and needs of each individual, and then the activities can be catered to address specific needs.

• Was That the Exit to Normal?"
• Rules of the Road
• Labels - You Gotta Love 'Em
• To School or Not to School

Key Features:

• Presents neuroscience of sensory modulation in a manner that is comprehensible and applicable for the young reader
• Language that is engaging and entertaining
• Innovative concepts such as a "brain security team" to describe complex neural concepts.

Parents are their child's best teachers.

National Parenting Publications Award Winner

Step by step, Rules and Tools for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders will guide parents throughout their journey toward understanding their child and solving behavior challenges.

Parents can use one, some, or all of the 119 rules and tools presented in their Parenting Toolbox, to help their child reach their unlimited potential. Using checklists, forms, and other practical tools, parents can also develop their child’s personal MAP – Master Action Plan to help their child succeed in school!

If you have an out-of-sync grandchild and are looking for enjoyable interactions, this book is for you. It is part of the Out-of-Sync Series, intended to help parents, teachers, relatives, and professionals support kids with sensory processing differences. Gold Award Recipient, Mom's Choice Awards!

Good Times with Out-of-Sync Grandkids is a guide for making memories. It includes more than fifty activities that the fictional Grammy and Pops have enjoyed over the years with their fictional grandchildren, Carrie, Darwin, and Edward. You may have met the kids in The Out-of-Sync Family: A Story about Sensory Differences (Sensory World, 2023).

The characters are imaginary, but their experiences are real, coming from the author’s life as a child, babysitter, mother, preschool teacher, special education consultant, Cub Scout leader, and grandparent. This book may trigger happy memories of what you, as a child, loved to do with your grandparents and may help you reanimate those shared experiences, adapting them to match your grandchild’s age, interest, and sensory differences.

Activities in the book address:

• Showing overresponsivity—or underresponsivity—to touch and movement
• Craving—or avoiding—sensory stimulation
• Constantly—or hardly ever—on the go
• Confusion by what he or she hears, sees, feels, tastes, and smells
• Lacking energy/being limp
• Tripping on air, being clumsy, breaking things
• Picky or messy eating
• Being difficult to understand when speaking
• Acting socially awkward
• Being loving and kind, but anxious and lacking self-confidence

Preparing Kids for the Real World and Their Best Selves

Parents, teachers, therapists, and anyone who cares about a child or teen on the autism spectrum need this essential roadmap to prepare our youth for being successful adults in today’s world.

Since the first edition of The Loving Push, the prevalence rate of children diagnosed as autistic has only continued to rise. Greater numbers of kids are transitioning into adulthood with a spectrum label than ever before. Researchers around the world churn out studies, many aimed at learning more about the factors that help autistic children learn and gain skills. Community awareness of autism has risen, and companies and colleges are taking notice.

Best-selling author, autism advocate, and animal science professor Dr. Temple Grandin joins psychologist and autism specialist Dr. Debra Moore in spelling out which steps you can take to restore your child’s hope and motivation―and what you must avoid. Eight life stories told by people on the autism spectrum, including chapters on subjects like how to get kids off their computers, how to build on their strengths and get back to caring about their lives, and how to find a path to a successful, meaningful life make this a "must read book!"

The greatest gifts we can give a child are those that help them grow into their best self. Parents and professionals alike strive to guide young people in developing a sense of self-worth and functioning in line with their highest capabilities. No matter what specific challenges a child may face, success is reaching the level of independence and engagement in the world they are realistically capable of achieving is the top priority. This book is our guide.

Sending a son or daughter off to college is daunting and fear-provoking experience for most parents, but if your child has an autism spectrum disorder, the challenge is magnified many times over. Even high-functioning students with excellent academic preparation face difficulties in higher education, primarily related to communication, social skills, and sensory-based issues.

For many, the accommodations and special interventions that supported them in high school will no longer be available on a college campus. This parent-friendly book, made especially so because it is written by parents, who also are autism professionals, takes the fear and mystery out of the college experience. Learn how to select the right campus, how to work with Disability Services staff, what legal protections apply, how to prepare your son or daughter to be an effective self-advocate on campus, what assistance can be reasonably be expected from residence hall managers, faculty, and much, much more.

Winner of an iParenting Media Award - now in Spanish!

This picture book appeals to the visual strengths of students on the autism spectrum, with color photos of students demonstrating various social skills in the correct (and sometimes incorrect) way. The skills depicted are meant to be read, role-played, corrected when necessary, role-played some more and, finally, to be practiced by the student in real-life social situations. “Thought bubbles” show what people are thinking during these interactions (not always what you hoped!). Practical, engaging, and down-to-earth, this is a valuable tool to help teens navigate the often-mysterious rules of social conduct in everyday situations. Helpful sections include:

Go out and about with ease! Out and About: Preparing Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders to Participate in their Communities is a short, to-the-point resource that is sure be used repeatedly by parents and educators.

It focuses on everyday events and how to support individuals on the autism spectrum to be active participants in the world around them. Created as a blueprint to be filled in according the child's strengths and needs and the event being planned, the framework lists ten areas that have been identified in best practice as effective supports for children with an autism spectrum disorder.

These include a waiting plan, communication supports, social intervention, visual need, hidden curriculums, rules, sensory support, motivation, behavior supports, transitions tools, and considerations for siblings or other students. The individualized blueprint will become second nature to its users as they become more familiar with the support the child needs and, therefore, serve as an indispensable tool in everyday life.

IPBA Gold Medal for Nonfiction Series

Winner, Eric Hoffer Book Award for Reference/Education

Winner of the Grand Prize for Instruction and Insight and First Place in Psychology, Chanticleer International Book Awards.

One of the autism community's most beloved classics, Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew has informed, delighted, and guided millions of families and professionals around the world since its first edition was published in 2005.

A child's voice leads each chapter, offering a unique exploration of how ten core characteristics of autism affect our children's perceptions and reactions to the physical, sensory, and social environments around them. This revised and updated third edition sharpens the focus on these basics while expanding how our own perspectives shape our child's lives and ourselves, today, tomorrow, and for years to come. An entirely new section illuminates the surprising breadth of our power of choice and outlines powerful strategies for sound decision-making in every situation.

Every parent, teacher, social worker, therapist, and doctor should have this concise and informative book in their back pocket. Framed with humor and compassion, the book lists the top ten characteristics that help illuminate, not define, children with autism. Ellen's personal experiences as a mother, autism columnist, and contributor to numerous parenting magazines come together to create this guide for anyone who has someone on the autism spectrum in their life.

It’s Good to Be Different

Time to Thrive is a workbook (approximately 50% consumable) for parents and caregivers of autistic children…especially those recently diagnosed. The purpose of the book is to help reflect and explore. The approach is one of curiosity, openness, and a willingness to fully acknowledge and accept our children, and maybe ourselves, too!

Coming from a place of curiosity, openness and acceptance, you’ll find out how to best support your children. The goal of Time to Thrive is not to change your child. It’s to help you and your child learn to recognize their joys, strengths, and challenges.

Each chapter offers information, as well as reflective exercises to apply to your specific situation. It is a counter-narrative to the typical pessimism offered to families of newly diagnosed children. They are not broken or deficient. They are fascinating and different.

We cannot change the way our neurodivergent children’s brains experience the world. Nor would we want to! What we can do is create the most supportive environment possible, teach our children to recognize and advocate for their needs, and help them learn to thrive.

Temple Grandin draws on her own experience to deliver an essential resource for guiding and nurturing autistic individuals with sensory differences. She gets to the REAL issues of autism in this book—the ones parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face every day.

Most autistic individuals deal with a variety of sensory differences, and in this book Dr. Grandin sheds light on the best ways for them to adapt and thrive. In these helpful pages, Dr. Grandin offers do’s and don’ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her insider perspective and extensive research.

She argues that individuals on the autism spectrum must focus on their overlooked strengths to foster their unique contributions to the world. She has packed a wealth of knowledge into this book, which serves as an excellent reference resource for parents, educators and caregivers on how to manage sensory issues.

Topics include:

• How to deal with sensory overloads, withdrawals and sensitivities
• Learning how to help desensitize individuals to sensory stimulations
• Discovering simple strategies that can have amazing effects
• Best practices for incorporating sensory integration
• And much more!

• diagnostic process
• intervention techniques
• therapies
• biomedical treatments
• diets
• and much more

• names
• numbers
• websites for clinics, medical centers, organizations, and key personnel

• Diagnosis
• Tests
• Education
• Biomedical Interventions
• Dietary Interventions
• Sensory/Physical therapies
• Intensive Interventions
• Music Interventions
• Relaxation Techniques
• TEC list

When You Understand the Process, You Achieve Progress

Foreword by Temple Grandin

Do you think your child might have a disability and needs a school evaluation, but you don’t know where to start? Do you find the special education process with all the meetings and excessive terminology to be overwhelming? This guide can help.

The power tools needed to help build and execute a successful plan for your child are all included in this manual.

These include understanding:

• basic federal and state laws,
• documentation,
• how the process works,
• your rights as a parent,
• the value of teamwork,
• how to maintain high but realistic expectations,
• plus, IEP meeting tips!

The author’s unique perspective has been shaped by both personal and professional experiences, and in collaborating with school personnel through both roles.

Her passion for helping other parents through the complexities of special education and supporting students of all abilities shines through in Navigate and Advocate.

Whether you're a young autistic adult leaving the shelter of school, or you're late-diagnosed, finally realizing that you're not broken, you're just autistic, this book is for you.

This neurodiversity-affirmative book holds the key to navigating the road trip of your life. Learn practical strategies that have helped others. Follow five fictional characters as they meet and overcome roadblocks on their path to independence. Read success stories shared by actually autistic people in their own words. If you've ever wished that adult life came with an instruction manual, this is it.

The first edition won the Chanticleer International Book Award Grand Prize for Instruction & Insight; this new edition features updated information and interesting new characters. This is the newest book in the Adulting while Autistic series.

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, schedule changes, safety protocols, and school closings have added unique challenges to everyone’s lives. But even more so for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.

Autism in Lockdown includes the most needed tips and insights from 34 of the world’s leading autism experts, including:

Are you in a neurodivergent (ND) relationship? One thing ND couples have in common is a tendency to get their signals mixed up. You want to communicate clearly, but miss the mark time and time again. How can you turn mixed signals into fixed signals? You’ll find answers in Relating while Autistic: Fixed Signals for Neurodivergent Couples, the third book of the series, Adulting While Autistic.

Nowhere is communication more important than in a marriage or committed relationship. You may be in a ND relationship, wondering why it seems so hard to communicate with the one you love. Maybe you’re not in a relationship yet, and you know you need some solid communication skills in place before you find the right one so you can make it work. This book is for you.

Relating while Autistic offers practical tips, evidence-based strategies, and the keys couples need to unlock their best relationship. It’s built on the science of human behavior, relationship research, and what the author has learned from her own twenty seven years in love in a brilliant and enduring ND marriage.

Through "Red Lights/Green Lights" you’ll learn effective communication strategies as well as what to avoid. The "What Shall We Talk About?" section has conversation starters for Family Meetings that open the gates to discussions about what’s important to the two of you. "Date Night Themes" offer creative ideas to refresh and revive your relationship.

Another way you'll learn to turn mixed signals into fixed signals is through the stories of four fictional couples. Each chapter also includes "They Say," stories shared by actual ND couples about what has worked in their relationships.

This much needed resource is a delightful "how-to" relationship guide for autistic individuals and those who love them.

Rob teaches us the commonsense approach and uses everyday situations to help children with autism progress with language, socialization, and organization. You don’t need a graduate school education to use this method; you have all the knowledge and skills you need. You already know how to do everything necessary to make a difference for your child.

If anyone suggests that autistic people should not have children, in the mistaken belief that they would not be good parents because of their neurodiversity, they are wrong. Completely wrong. This is not to say that every autistic person should have a child, any more than every neuro-majority person should. People usually know for themselves whether or not they want to become parents, and if they don’t, they shouldn’t. It’s as simple as that.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that every moment will be sunshine, rainbows, and cute, cuddly babies who sleep all night and never throw their oatmeal on the floor. Babies are just teenagers on hold, and teenagers are adults in waiting. At every step in the growing up process there will be hard times, and there will be joyful times. Parents have made this same journey since people began peopling, and the journey will continue after our children’s children have grandchildren of their own. We’re part of a huge spectrum of parenting through the ages. Isn’t it a wonder and a privilege to be a link in this chain?

Having a different brain as autists, ADHDers, and AuDHDers do, does not mean that you shouldn’t be part of this link, if your heart leads you to parenting. You’ll be amazing! You and I both know, though, that being neurodivergent in a neuro-majority world is not easy. Parenting isn’t easy, either, but you can do difficult things. You’ve been doing them all along, haven’t you? Parenting is just one more challenge you can manage, and it’s worth it. This book is here to help you navigate the unique aspects of parenting while autistic. Throughout the book you’ll find side trips to focus on various aspects of parenting while autistic. Here’s a description of each one. 

Sensory Smarts
In this section we’ll discuss some of the sensory issues related to different stages of the parenting journey. You’ll find strategies for coping with heightened sensory reactions.

Make Family Meetings Fun
Your family’s need for Family Meetings, and what you will focus on in these meetings, will change as your children grow. Keep up with their needs, and yours, while making it fun for everyone.

Weekends That Work
You deserve a break at the end of a busy week, and so do your kids. How can you create the kind of weekend that works for all of you? You’ll find tips in this section.

Fictional Families
Throughout the book the topics and challenges at your child’s developmental stages will be illustrated by fictional families who, like you, are parenting while autistic. Follow them on their journeys, and see what you may have in common with them.

Parent To Parent
It’s important to listen to the authentic voices of actually autistic parents. Here you will find words of wisdom from neurodivergent moms and dads who have walked the ND parenting path before you, and who want you to succeed, too.

You’ve got this. Let’s go.

It could happen anywhere: at the grocery store, at a restaurant, at school, or at home. Meltdowns are stressful for both child and adult, but Dr. Baker can help!

Author of the award-winning Social Skills Picture Book series, Dr. Jed Baker offers parents and teachers strategies for preventing and managing meltdowns. Over twenty years of experience working with children on the autism spectrum combined with his personal experiences raising his own children have yielded time-tested strategies—and results! Dr. Baker offers an easy-to-follow, four-step model that will improve your everyday relationships with the children in your life, including managing your own emotions by adjusting your expectations, learning strategies to calm a meltdown in the moment, understanding why a meltdown occurs, and creating plans to prevent future meltdowns.

Because of the unique needs of children with autism, it is important to pay special attention to the details of their experience in the medical environment.

Designed to help make the medical experience easier for all involved, Prescription for Success: Supporting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Medical Environment presents information on ASD, the varying developmental levels, interventions, and assessments that medical staff, parents, educators, and key service providers can use to more effectively interact with and support children with ASD while in the medical setting. Learn how to make doctor and hospital visits easier here!

Toilet training can be a battleground for parents and children. In this book, Mary Wrobel offers a detailed roadmap for success, based on over twenty five years of experience. Easy-to-read bulleted lists offer effective do's and don'ts, along with real-life examples. Learn, among other things, how to overcome fear of the bathroom, teach to use toilet paper, flush and wash up and deal with toileting in unfamiliar environments. A lifesaver for parents and children!